Do you love exclusive offerings? Wine no one else can get? I’m sitting down with Raymond Vineyards, Bill Farmer to get more insight on what this means. Farmer has been there from the beginning of the Boisset reign of Raymond Vineyards. This luscious property is distinctive both in wine and experiences.
Named after the family that founded Raymond Vineyards, their history began in 1933. This is the year the family moved to Napa Valley. Roy Raymond would begin his winemaking career with Beringer and stay for 37 years! Shortly after they became related to the Beringer family by marriage. Their farming and winemaking interests grew over the years leading up to 1970. This was the year they would go “all in”. The family purchased 90 acres of Rutherford property. The release of the first vintage would be in 1974.
Raymond Vineyards would get the attention of Jean-Charles Boisset. Acquiring the property in 2009, Boisset took the winery to the next level. First with an expansion of vineyards. Now 300 acres strong. Adding Napa veteran winemaker Stephanie Putnam to oversee winemaking. With the guidance of Vineyard Manager, Sophie Drucker, the estate vineyards are now biodynamic and organic Today the winery is enjoying a renaissance of sorts as it continues to make some of the very best small lot red wine in the valley.
Here the wines are only available for sale at the winery. Some lots as small as 150 cases. In order to be part of this limited offer, you must visit the winery. You’ll want to because of the very exquisite lounging and tasting you can do here. Grab a few friends, a few bottles and sit back and relax.
With a wide array of tasting experiences, you are sure to make even the fussiest travel guest happy. Are elegance and beauty your thing? Here it exists in each of their tasting rooms and experiences.
A lush, opulent lounge known as the “Red Room” is where you can enjoy your wine on-site. You’ll want to make a reservation so you can enjoy your very own bottle service in this exquisite room.
You can taste in the Crystal Room to get a more in-depth experience of tasting the finest wine at Raymond. Either standing at the wine bar, or for groups, booking a larger space for sit down service. In the Barrel Tasting Cellars, your very own comparative wine tasting experience. You can sip and compare unreleased vintages with earlier vintages.
Unique experiences? Raymond Vineyards has it! Taste a library of 40 years of wines. Make your own blend, take the bottle home and they will make your own blend for you by the case. These are one of a kind adventures sure to entice the most reluctant wine taster.
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2 Responses
The exclusivity they generate is fantastic. I’m not sure if it’s marketing but it really makes the place more interesting. I work in hospitality, so I’ve visited many vineyards personally and through work, but none like this. The opportunity to have your own blend to take home and get sent to you by the case is genius.
So true John! Those small lot once in a lifetime vintages are truly intriguing. And who doesn’t want to blend wine precisely to their taste?!
JC is genius.
Warmly,
Kelly